Choosing to Cheat

Abstract

At one time or another, most of us “choose to cheat,” whether by working with another student on a take-home exam or by failing to accurately account for one’s hours on Friday afternoon. Cheating ultimately affects the cheater negatively, because by cutting corners or sweeping things under the rug, we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and build open and honest relationships with others and with ourselves. By striving to develop our individual talents and gifts, and by recognizing where we have shortcomings, engineers can become leaders of their communities and the built environment. By choosing not to cheat, we essentially choose to lead better, more fulfilling lives.